Envelop-opener.



. F. F. TODD.

ENVELOP OPENER.

APPLIICATION man FEB. I, 1916.

Patented Feb. 20,

PEHIRS 0a.. PnomLnna. wasmm; ran. a. c.

FLOYD F. TODD, 0F FOREST CITY, PENNSYLVANIA.

ENVELOP-OPENER. v I

' Specification of Letters ratent. Patented Feb. 2.0, 1917.

Application filed. February '7, 1916. Serial No. 76,748.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FLOYD F. TODD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Forest City, in the county of Susquehanna and State of Pennsylvania, have. invented new and useful Improvements in Envelop-Openers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an envelop opener, and has for its primary object to provide a device of this character wherein one side of an envelop, near an edge thereof, is cut for the opening thereof so as to permit the removal of its contents, thereby obviating the necessity of tearing. open the envelop in the usual well known manner for extracting or removing a letter or other contents 7 acter wherein the blade or knife is held in a novel manner so that it will positively cut one side of the envelop when moved over the same, the edge of the envelop being guided during the movement of the knife or .the

body of-the envelop relative thereto for the opening thereof. 1

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an envelop opener, of this character which is simple in construction, thoroughly reliable andefficient in operation, conveniently actuated for the ready use thereof, and also one which is inexpensive in manufacture.

With these and other objects. in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a side elevation of an envelop opener constructed in' accordance with the invention; I

Fig. '2 is an end view;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view thereof; Q

4: is a perspective view of the resilient jaw frame removed from the case of the opener, showing the knife carrier slide partly removed therefrom;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a knife;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a modified form of envelop opener;

Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view thereof;

Fig. 8 is an end elevation; and

Fig. 9 is a top plan view.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and particularly Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, the envelop opener comprises a tapered case 10 which is sealed at its smaller end and open at its opposite larger end, the smaller sealed end being formed with an eye 11 for the attachment of the case to a watch chain or the like so that the envelop opener can be worn as a charm.

The larger open end, in opposite sides of the case, is formed with registering notches 12 providing a guideway for the edgeof-an envelop when inserted therein.

Mounted interior-1y of the case 10 is a substantially U-shaped spring frame 13, providing opposite resilient jaws 14: and 15, re-

spectively, and cut from the jaw 15 are inwardly bent and outwardly curved tongues 16 which serve as stops to limit the approach of the jaws 14: and 15 toward'each other so as to prevent the same from coming too close together. and also these tongues form a guide for the edge of the envelop so as to limit the insertion of the edge of said envelop between the jaws 14 and 15 when the case 10 is eliminated. or not in use with the envelop opener. Formed-on the jaw 14 at opposite longer edges thereof are guide flanges 17 in which are slidably'engaged a knife carrying plate or slide 18, the same being formed with a straight rib 19 which is struck outwardly from the said plate 18 and forms a channel 20 for removably receiving a knife or cutting blade 21, the latter being held in working relation between the walls of the channel 20, and has a cutting tip 22 projected through a slot 23 formed in the apeX of the rib for exposing the blade or knife 21 so that when the jaws 14; and are compressed for the bringing of the same in relatively close relation to each other the tip 22 of the I blade or knife 21 will penetrate the body of the envelop at one side thereof near one edge ofthe same, and on moving the envelop through the notches 12 in the case 10 or moving the case 10 longitudinally relative to the edge of the envelop the knife or blade 21 will sever or cut one side of the body of the envelop for the opening thereof.

In the jaw 15 is a raised boss 2 1 having a slit 25 adapted to accommodate the tip 22 of the knife or blade 21 to prevent and protect it from injury should the jaws be forced too closely together, and this boss 2 1 also serves as a bearing for the body of the envelop during the cutting operation of the opener. 1 Loosely passed through the case 10 and detachably engaged in the jaw 14 is the stem or shank 26 of a push button 27 which permits the bringing of the jaws 1a and 15 together so as to move the tip 22 of the knife or blade 21 into cutting position for the cutting of one side of the body of the envelop for the opening thereof, 7 7

7 It will be apparent that by reason of the particular construction the tip 22 of the blade 21, and the limited movement of the jaws toward each other due to the disposition of the stop tongue therebetween, said blade cuts only one side of the envelop, as said blade is permitted to penetrate one layer or ply of the paper, thus leaving the other side of the envelop intact so that in this manner the edge of the envelop is not sheared off as is usual when tearing open the end of an envelop or entirely cutting through the body thereof, as the said envelop remains intact but with one side only out near one of its edges, and this slit thus formed by the opener serves as a finger piece for readily opening the envelop. r

In Figs. 6 to 9 of the drawing there is shown a slight modification of the invention, wherein the substantially U-shaped frame 28 has a jaw 29 thereof cut to form a bearing tongue 30 which is slightly struck inwardly to serve as a rest or guide for the body of the envelop, while the other jaw 31 of the frame is formed with the guide flanges 32 at opposite sides thereof, and in which is de tachably engaged a slide or carrier plate 33 for the knife or blade 34, which latter'is adapted to coiiperate with the bearing tongue 30 inthe cutting of the body of the envelop for the opening thereof at one side only of the samenear one of its edges.

At the closed end of'the frame 28 is an eye member 35, the tines 36 of which embrace the closed endof the frame, and this eye permits the hanging of the opener upon a watch chain or the like. It will be apparent that the slides or plates 18 and 33, respectively, can be readily removed from the jaw of the frame so that the knife or blade carried thereby can be removed for the sharpening thereof, or. a new knife substituted, each slide being formed with a finger mb 37 so as to permit the convenient removal of the slide or plate when the occasion requires.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, the construction and manner, of use of my improved envelop opener will be readily apparent and, therefore, amore extended eX- planation has been omitted.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim: v

1. An envelop opener comprising a resilient frame forming yieldable jaws, guides on one of said jaws, a knife carrying slide removably mounted on the other j aw,'a knife removably mounted in the slide and having a tip exposed for the cutting of an envelop when inserted between the jaws and the latter are compressed, a bearing cooperating with the tip of the knife and formed on one of said jaws, and a rib on the knife carrying slide to permit the convenient removal thereof from the jaws. V

2. An envelop opener comprising a resilient frame forming yieldable jaws, guides on one of said jaws, a knife carrying slide removably mounted on the other jaw, a knife removably mounted in the slide and having a tip exposed for the cutting of an envelop when inserted between the jaws and the latter. are compressed, a bearing coiiperating with the tip of the knife and formed on one of said jaws, a rib on the knife carrying slide to permit the convenient removal thereof from the jaws, and a casing for the frame.

3. An envelop opener comprising a resilient frame forming yieldable jaws, guides on one of said jaws, a knife carrying slide removably mounted on the other jaw, a knife removably mounted in the slide and having a tip exposed for the cutting of an envelop when inserted between the jaws and the latter are compressed, a bearing coeperating with the tip of the knife and formed on one of said jaws, a rib on the knife carrying slide to permit the convenient removal thereof from the jaws, a casing for the frame,

and means engaged with one jaw and extended without the casing for moving said jaw toward the other jaw to bring the tip of the knife into cooperative relation to the bearing.

4. An envelop opener comprising a resilient frame forming yieldablejaws, guides on one of said jaws for limiting the movement of both jaws toward each other and also limiting the insertion of an envelop between said j aws, a knife carrying slide removably mounted on the other jaw, and a knife removably mounted in the slide and havin a tip exposed for the cutting of an enve op when inserted between the jaws and the latter are compressed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FLOYD F. TODD.

Witnesses:

FRANK O. PARKER, BENNE'I'I S. J ONES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

